352 FE...good engine?

i have a 1962 352 2 barrel engine that is in a galaxie i am about to s****. would this engine be worth pulling out and holding onto for a future project, or should i just let it go with the car?

are the heads the same as the 4 barrel 352's or are they different?

can a 390 crank be used in a 352 and what displacement would it end up being if so? i know the bores are .05" difference, so i suppose if you could bore it .06 over then it would be a RCH bigger than a 390....

anyways, give me your opinions

 

I can tell you that I could not give away for free my old 352. I paid $15 bucks for the land fill to take it.

Mike

 

Good motors in my opinion. Keep it if it's a good "runner". May not be worth the cost of a rebuild if it's not

 

A "good" motor as much as any FE is a "good" motor. Perhaps the only real downside of any consequence is that it weighs as much the 428, without having the same performance capabilities.
But if you already got one, and won't really miss having the power provided by the more popular, larger displacement FEs, it will do fine for what it is.
However, if you are considering going into a lot of parts swapping and hop up modifications, you will likely find it to be easier and cheaper to just locate
one of the larger engines to start with.
A lot would depend on exactly what type, weight, and usage of the vehicle the engine ended up in. If in something along the lines of a T-bucket or pre-'60s Ford, dressed up and used for cruising and car shows, it will work just as well as anything bigger or more expensive.
However, if installation in a "Muscle Car", or actually being drag-raced is being contemplated, it would not be a good choice.

 

The 352 FE have tremendous potential like any other FE. There was one 352 Ford offered that was a hard runner - the 1960 352 High Performance rated at 360 horsepower. Very rare. The 352HP featured unique 58cc heads, a 276/500 solid lifter camshaft, the first factory aluminum intake with a 540 Holley, a dual point distributor, and other unique parts/features. Most of these HP parts were used on the 390HP for 1961, and actually many saw continued use on the 406 and 427, i.e., the cam and dual point distributor. A 352 can be built to run very well. And a 390 crank slips right in and a .050 overbore is easily handled, thus a 390. The heads were the same on either a 352-4V or 390.
SO is it worth anything? Sure, like anything to the right person. One other feature of the '62 blocks thought is that they will not eaily fit any Ford/Merc vehicle from '65 on. It's a matter of engine mounting bolt holes.
Please note that the 352HP I briefly described above is NOT the 352 Interceptor of '58 & '59. Those early Interceptors were undercammed, and basically underpowered. Ford was trying to live by the corporate decree of no high performance/racing support from late '57 to '59. The American Manfact. ***ociation "agreed" to not participate in racing, etc. GM cheated providing lots of over the counter racing parts and this is why Ford stepped back into racing/HP support for 1960 thus the beginning of the Total Performance years.
Sorry about rambling a bit but I like the old FE's which proved themselves very capable throughout the '60s.

 

The 352 in my '67 F250 was one of the best FE's or any motor for that matter I've ever owned. I don't know much about hot rodding one however.

 

I agree. If it runs, or at least turns over, I'd keep it, someone will want it. But if it's siezed up, forget it. Not worth the money to rebuild it when so many 390's are out there to be had cheap.

 

A lot of people don't like them, because at the time they were in tank like cars that needed more than the plain vanilla 352 had to offer, to move them. However they were very dependable, and probably would do well enough in something lighter. You could stroke it, and put some aluminum on the top end to lighten it up. And it has two good points in your case. 1 it's free, 2 it's not a SBC. I'd keep it just to be different.

 

i think if i end up using it, it will be in a 4x4 tow rig.....then i would probably end up building it as a 390 with a 4 barrel carb and aluminum intake....

 

There you go! As is obvious from my previous post, I really like the FE series. Any FE, 332, 352, 360, 390, 406, 410, 427, 428 can be built to run hard. And there are a lot of manufacturers providing speed parts for them. For a 4X4 tow rig: a 390 crank, 390 rods required too, flat tops, Comp 268 or so, Edelbrock Performer, 600 CFM carb, electronic ignition, headers.....she'll pull what ever you want.

 

i'm thinking along the lines of rebuilding it as a 390 with a few tweaks as you mentioned, backed by a 4 speed with granny low, dana 300 t-case, and rockwell 2.5 ton axles....42" boggers....all on a custom frame with a 78-79 or 86-91 f-series body

 

it will be a tow rig/recovery rig....seomthing i can hook up to pretty much anything from cars to tree stumps and pull them anywhere i want to....i have found decent deals on old cars, but cant get to them because of mud and hills that 2wd's wont make it through/over, so what better way to get them.....

 

All of the FE's are good, sturdy motors. A 352 block is in essence, a Virgin 390 block when you bore it 50 over. It is hard to find performance 352 pistons; it may be easier to use a 390 crank/rods and pistons. I'd keep it.

 

ok, so would this work for the bottom end to make a 390?

Federal Mogul 390 rebuild kit, Summit part # FEM-MKP601F-011

and

reconditioned factory 390 crank/rods